North Carolina artist, Kim Abernethy, is an oil painter whose impressionistic style evokes feelings of serenity and calm. Her work can be described as meditative, and while she depicts nature, her goal is not to create a literal representation of the landscape, but to capture a mood. There is a beauty and a quiet simplicity in the way she translates light. Her focus is on those places left untouched and unspoiled by development. She enjoys painting the mountains of North Carolina as well as Low Country marshes. Pathways and waterways are a favorite subject of hers, which she returns to often. Abernethy's passion for nature and art can be felt in her work.

Born and raised in the Southeast, Kim has always possessed a heightened awareness of and an appreciation for the natural world. Using oil as her medium, much of her work is done en plein air, before finishing pieces in her studio. The experience of creating studies outdoors connects her to the work and allows her to convey a strong sense of place and time in her paintings.

Kim is a juried member of Oil Painters of America and Women Painters of the Southeast. She is also a member of the American Impressionist Society, North Carolina Plein Air Painters, and the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, NC, where she has exhibited as featured artist. To date, Kim has participated in over 50 open and juried shows as well as numerous solo exhibitions. In 2012, Kim was awarded a grant, by the Regional Arts Council, which allowed her to study with instructors from the Ringling School of Art and Design. She was also juried into the Edgewood Cottage Artist-in-Residence program in Blowing Rock, NC. Her work can be found in collections throughout the US.

As the gallery owner and Director, as well as an ardent collector, I tend to notice really good art. If I discover a painter I admire, I watch and see how they develop, as an artist – where they're going. It’s my passion, and my job, to find and present to our clients, the very best in contemporary art. I watched Kim for three years and feel she fits in very well, with the artists we already represent. It's always a wonderful experience to bring a fresh, new look into our art family. Hughes Gallery welcomes Kim and we're very grateful to represent her. We invite you to stop in and see this wonderful artist's works.